


Being Different

by Capsicle2013



Series: Superfamily [6]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Adult Peter Parker, Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, College Student Peter Parker, Established Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Family Drama, Family Fluff, Harley Just Wants To Be A Superhero, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, Harley Keener is Tony and Steve's Biological Child, Hurt Harley Keener, Irondad, Kid Harley Keener, M/M, Married Couple, Morgan Stark is Tony and Steve's Biological Child, Not Canon Compliant, Parent Steve Rogers, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker is Tony and Steve's Biological Child, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Protective Steve, Superfamily (Marvel), Superhusbands (Marvel), Teen Morgan Stark (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-30
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:40:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21609958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capsicle2013/pseuds/Capsicle2013
Summary: Harley hates that he doesn't have superpowers like the rest of his family.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Series: Superfamily [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1397572
Comments: 49
Kudos: 179





	Being Different

**Author's Note:**

  * For [xvm514](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xvm514/gifts).



> Hello! This story is for the lovely xvm514. I had wanted to do a story with Harley, but I wasn't sure what kind of story I wanted and then I was given this idea and well...here is it! I hope you like it, xvm514!

For as long as he could remember, Harley had always been different. His family was far from normal; a mixture of people with unique abilities, but Harley somehow got the short end of the super stick.

At just six-years-old, he was able to recognize that he had been born different. His parents were superheroes; and not in the sense of that’s how Harley looked at them. No, they were legitimate superheroes that saved the world whenever a threat made itself known. Though only one parent actually had superhuman strength, the other was just of a hero.

Harley loved both of his parents just the same, but there was no denying that he was closer to his daddy. They were the same somehow, and maybe it was just because they both were lacking something. And there was no denying the fact that the Iron Man suit was Harley’s favorite.

His papa was his hero too; Captain America was everyone’s hero, but Harley's first. He’s looked up to his parents, wishing he could follow in their footsteps.

It wasn’t fair that his older siblings were born with enhanced abilities. His brother more so than his sister, which is why he was lucky enough to fight alongside their parents as the crime-fighting Spider-Man. Harley wanted a cool superhero name, but again, he wasn’t so lucky.

He was often told that he was too young to join his family on missions, but he knew deep down that wasn’t the real reason. He didn’t have super powers like they did, which made him completely useless.

Harley did find something about himself that he loved. He was smart, no doubt a trait passed on from his daddy, but sometimes Harley didn’t feel like that's enough. It helped his daddy; the famous Iron Man suit never would have been created if not for his father's big brain. Maybe one day Harley would create his own suit. It was wishful thinking.

He doesn’t let those negative thoughts about himself take over completely; he was a kid first before anything else and he made time to be one. Make believe was his favorite game to pass the time; pretending to be a superhero fighting crime was easy to achieve when you lived in a superhero facility.

The cabin he was brought up in was his first home, and though playing outside near the large lake was fun, it didn’t beat running through the halls of the Avengers Compound. Some areas were restricted, but most of the upper levels were safe for him to explore and play.

His daddy’s lab was one of his favorite places to be in. He didn’t play much in there, having been given a lecture in the past for messing with Dum-E. The robot was silly and Harley couldn’t help but find it amusing.

Sitting in his daddy’s lap while he works on new tech is something Harley looks forward to. There’s no mention of the powers he doesn’t possess, instead they talk about new inventions or what suit needs tinkering.

That’s where he finds himself now, sitting quietly in his daddy’s lap while he watches him work. He helps when he can, handing out the tools Tony requests. He may not be saving the world, but being part of a new Iron Man suit is just as good, if not better.

They sit in silence, the only sound in the room is the Hard Rock playing in the background. Harley does what he’s normally instructed to do, and he passes the tools his daddy needs. He watches intently as his daddy works, wishing he could do more than just help with the tools.

His mind wanders, thoughts drifting to his papa. He’s been gone for two days now, something Harley still isn’t quite used to. Peter is with him, making this recent mission harder than previous ones. If his brother wasn’t at school or working at SI, he was fighting crime and saving the day. Harley misses him.

With a heavy sigh, Harley pushes himself against his daddy’s chest, letting him know he’s ready to get down. Tony pauses his work and turns his chair so that his son has enough room to jump off.

“What’s up, Har?” Tony is quick to sense when something is bothering his son. Call it a parents intuition.

“I miss Papa and Peter. When are they coming back?” Harley’s already asked that question at least a hundred times, this time hoping the answer he receives is the one he’s been searching for.

“Soon.” Harley frowns at that response. It’s not the one he wants. Tony continues, “I’m sure they’re on the jet right now.”

Harley frowns and crosses his arms over his chest. “I wanna go with them.”

Tony sighs. “Kiddo, you know you can’t. You’re too young. Those missions are dangerous.”

“Peter gets to go!”

“Harley, he…” Tony pauses. There’s no easy way to explain to his son the real reason why he’ll never be able to join in on their family fun. Well, Tony doesn’t want to say never. For years he’s had the blueprints for his son’s suit tucked away, one day hoping to complete the project and present it to his son. He needs to talk to Steve first. “He’s older,” Tony finishes.

“Not fair!” Harley whines. “I wanna be a superhero too and nobody cares!”

“Harley-”

“Leave me alone!”

Harley runs from the lab, ignoring his daddy’s calls. He doesn’t hear footsteps behind him, letting him know that his daddy hasn’t bothered to chase after him. That’s fine, he wants to be alone anyway.

He rushes back to their apartment, slamming the door hard behind him once he enters. He’s not expecting to find his sister lounging around in the living room, her favorite sketchbook sitting neatly in her lap. She peers up from her latest sketch, one brow raising at her brother’s attitude.

“I’m gonna tell Dad you’re breaking doors. Peter did it too and look what happened to him.”

Harley huffs and rolls his eyes. “I’m not breaking doors! Can’t you see I’m not like Peter!”

Morgan can’t help but giggle. Her brother’s outburst is amusing; he’s small and non-threatening. Harley grows furious from his sister’s laughter.

“Stop laughing at me!”

Morgan snorts and shakes her head. “You’re adorable, little brother.”

“Go away!”

“I was here first so…”

Harley sticks his tongue out at her before turning around and stomping out of the apartment. He doesn’t bother going to the common room, knowing some of the Avengers are in there and the last thing he wants is to be asked a million other questions. He wishes his Auntie Nat was home, or even his Uncle Bucky. Out of the whole team, he felt like they understood him the most. They knew what it was like to be different and not understand they’re place in the world.

But they were out on the mission. It wasn’t fair.

No one pays him any mind as he moves through the levels of the compound; his presence is well known to just about everyone. He exits through the main door and keeps walking around the large facility until a body of water greets him. The river is another one of his favorite places to be; it reminds him of the lake at his first home.

No one is outside, which is to be expected. He can already picture the look of fear his papa would have on his face if he were to discover him out here alone. His papa can be very protective at times; Peter and Morgan have told him he used to be way worse, and to be lucky he doesn’t have it as bad as they did.

He sends a glance in the direction of the compound, and when it becomes apparent that no one was coming for him, he continues along the river until he’s on the deck.

It’s a nice day, perfect for playing with his older brother and the sticky webs he loves so much. Morgan would sometimes join them in their game, only to get annoyed whenever Peter deliberately aimed for her hair. He doesn’t play too rough with her anymore, come to think of it, he doesn’t play much at all these days.

Harley knows his big brother has a lot of responsibilities now; being Spider-Man is a main priority of his and sometimes Harley wishes it wasn’t. Maybe if he was a super then his brother would want to spend more time with him.

He’s not sure how long he’s been outside, but regardless of the time, he wasn’t ready to go back in. It wasn’t like he fit in with anyone inside anyway.

It’s not until a familiar voice is calling out his name does he pause his activities. He holds the cool stone in his hand, debating if he should throw it into the river and ignore his older brother. He likes the idea and he turns away, throwing the stone into the water.

“You’re gonna be in a lot of trouble if they find out you’re here alone.” Peter is coming over; he's still in his suit. They must have just gotten back. “Papa is looking for you.”

“I don’t care,” Harley snaps and he reaches for another rock, throwing it as hard as he can.

Peter sighs. “What did Morgan do this time?”

“It’s you too. And Daddy and Papa and everyone else! Why can’t I be like you!”

“Like me? What do-”

“I wanna be like you and Papa and...and Morgan. You have webs and can climb walls and she is strong and Papa is strong and I’m just...me.”

“You forgot Dad. He’s strong too.”

Harley sniffs and angrily wipes at the tears that have started rolling down his face. “I just wanna be a superhero.”

“Har, what makes you think you’re not one?”

“I just told you, dummy.”

Peter’s lips purse into a straight line. “Geez, when did you start acting so much like Morgan?”

“Since you stopped playing with me.”

Peter’s expression softens and a sad sign leaves his lips. “I’m sorry. Maybe I’ve been putting all of my attention on Spider-Man. We used to have a lot of fun together, huh?”

Harley nods his head. “Maybe if I was a super then we could do more.”

“Dude, you don’t have to be a super for me to hang out with you. We’re brothers, and I’m always going to look out for you.” Peter throws his arm around Harley’s smaller form, bringing him close.

“Can we play right now?”

Peter smiles. “Yeah.”

They don’t get very far in their game before their parents come looking for them. Harley is quick to notice the worried expression on his papa’s face and he braces himself for a lecture. That lecture never comes, and Steve greets his sons with a smile.

“I knew I’d find you two out here,” he tells them.

“Papa!” Harley rushes toward him, throwing his arms around his papa’s waist.

“Hey, bud.” Steve greets and lifts his son into his arms, pressing a kiss to his blond head. “I missed you. Were you good for Daddy?”

“Uh huh!” Harley nods his head.

“Barely,” Tony mutters. He’s still clearly annoyed that his son had run off.

“He just wanted to play,” Peter says with a small shrug.

Tony frowns at his oldest. “Shouldn’t you be talking with Fury?”

“Oh uh…” Peter stammers and he turns to his papa for help.

“Go,” Steve tells him. “I’ll be right there.”

Peter nods, then he takes off running toward the compound.

“Care to explain why you ran away?” Steve starts the lecture Harley had been waiting for, and the little boy hangs his head.

“Sorry, Papa. Sorry, Daddy. I just wanted to be alone. I don’t fit in,” Harley admits quietly.

Steve sighs and pulls his son closer. “Let’s talk inside.”

* * *

The common room is Harley’s third favorite place in the compound; it’s the space where the team gathers for meals or sometimes even meetings that Harley doesn’t really understand. It’s the place where memories have been made and reminisced. Harley was sure this was the same floor he had taken his first steps on.

He takes a seat on one of the couches, quietly waiting for his parents to stop talking among themselves to start their family meeting. He wishes Peter and Morgan were with him, but he’s quick to remind himself that they didn’t need a taking to; they were normal.

“You shouldn’t have let him run off,” he hears his papa tell his daddy.

“Me? You should have let me build him a suit.” Those words pique Harley’s interest and he peers up at his daddy.

“You’re making me a suit?” He asks, interrupting his parent’s adult conversation.

“You bet.” Tony smiles at his son, ignoring the glare he’s currently receiving from his husband. “Just tell me a color scheme and I’ll get on it.”

“Really!” Harley jumps up from the sofa and rushes over to hug Tony. “Thank you, Daddy!”

“Tony,” Steve groans. “We talked about this. When he’s older-”

“Come on, Cap. The kid feels left out.”

Steve sighs and turns toward his son, finding it hard to resist the big, blue eyes staring back at him. He directs his attention back to his husband. “Let me talk to him. Alone.”

Tony nods and ruffles his son hair, smiling when Harley chuckles, then he leaves the room to give them some privacy. Steve plops down on the couch with a heavy sigh, and he pats the cushion beside him.

“Come here, Harley.”

Harley is almost hesitant to approach, and it’s not until his papa shoots him a reassuring smile does he take the empty spot. “Am I in trouble?” he asks, quietly.

“No, bud. You’re not in trouble. I just want to talk. So you feel left out?” Steve asks his son. He gets a small nod in response. “This is about superhero stuff, isn’t it?”

“I just wanna be like you. Peter and Morgan are.”

“I know. The serum affected them differently, and I’m sorry it hasn’t given you the same abilities as your brother and sister. You know, Morgan doesn’t have webs or can climb walls-”

“But she’s strong!"

"You're strong, too."

"But not like her! I saw her lift a car!”

Steve wrinkles his nose at those words. He’s learned over the years to step back and give his children their own space. It was difficult at first; all he’s ever wanted was to keep them safe and out of harm's way. He’s gotten better, but with his youngest, it’s been difficult not to smother him and constantly keep a watchful eye.

“Harley, just because you don’t have the same gifts as they do, doesn’t mean you’re not a superhero. Look at your dad for instance; he doesn’t have superhuman strength.”

“But he has a cool suit that lets him do superhero stuff. I want that too!”

“I know. You’re just a little young for that right now. Your brother and sister didn’t get their suits until they were older.”

Harley frowns and crosses his arms over his chest. “It’s not fair. I shouldn’t have been born.”

“I’m glad you were born. You were the missing piece; you completed our family.”

“I just want cool powers too.”

“I know.” Steve pulls his son close. “But you don’t need them. I love you just the way you are.”

Harley accepts the comforting touch and rests his head on his papa’s shoulder. “Papa?” he says, quietly, blue eyes peering up to meet similar ones. “Do I really get my own suit?”

Steve sighs, then he’s smiling. “You will. In this family, we wear suits.”

“Because we’re a superfamily?”

“Yeah, bud. We’re a superfamily.”

**Author's Note:**

> I decided that Harley doesn't have obvious powers like Peter and Morgan. He's still pretty strong for his age, but it's nothing like what everyone else has. I hope you all enjoyed it!


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